1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a distal end cover of an endoscope, which is attached to a distal end member provided with a raising base that configures a distal end portion of an endoscope insertion portion, and an endoscope to which a distal end cover is attached.
2. Description of the Related Art
One medical endoscope is a side-view type endoscope (hereinafter, referred to as an endoscope) in which an illumination lens and an objective lens are arranged on a distal end-side side surface of an insertion portion, a so-called duodenoscope.
The endoscope is provided with a treatment instrument channel and a raising apparatus.
A treatment instrument such as a contrast tube, a basket catheter, or a balloon catheter is inserted into the treatment instrument channel. The treatment instrument that passes through the treatment instrument channel is drawn out from a distal end opening provided in a distal end member, and a drawing out direction is switched to a desired direction by the raising apparatus.
The raising apparatus is typically configured mainly by a raising base rotatably arranged on the distal end member, a raising base operation lever provided on an operation portion, and a raising base operation wire that moves in accordance with an operation of the raising base operation lever and swings the raising base.
Also, a distal end cover of an endoscope, which is electrically insulated, is provided on an exterior of the distal end member. The distal end cover is fixed by adhesive or the like to prevent the distal end cover from falling off the distal end member.
The endoscope is cleaned and disinfected after use. It is known that when cleaning an insertion portion of an endoscope, cleaning can be easily performed by removing the distal end cover from the distal end portion to expose a distal end opening of the treatment instrument channel.
For example, Japanese Patent No. 4855824 describes an endoscope distal end cover, an endoscope apparatus, and a method for removing a distal end cover of an endoscope in an endoscope apparatus, which enables an endoscope distal end cover to be removed from a distal end member by ripping and breaking up the endoscope distal end cover, without damaging a flexible member that configures an insertion portion, and is able to prevent the endoscope distal end cover from falling off during use.
The endoscope distal end cover is provided with a concave groove and a thin portion that is a plastic deformation portion for sequentially releasing an engagement state by a first engagement portion, a second engagement portion, and a third engagement portion, by causing plastic deformation starting at a finger-hooking portion.
The thin portion is provided on a side surface portion between an open portion and the finger-hooking portion of the distal end cover of the endoscope.
The concave groove is formed on an inner peripheral surface along an entire periphery from a proximal end portion of the thin portion, or near the proximal end portion, to a side surface portion, a front surface portion, and a side surface portion on the opposite side, of the endoscope distal end cover.